Latest news with #Drosophila
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Surprise Discovery About Sugar in The Brain Could Help Fight Alzheimer's
Stores of glucose in the brain could play a much more significant role in the pathological degeneration of neurons than scientists realized, opening the way to new treatments for conditions like Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's is a tauopathy; a condition characterized by harmful build-ups of tau proteins inside neurons. It's not clear, however, if these build-ups are a cause or a consequence of the disease. A new study now adds important detail by revealing significant interactions between tau and glucose in its stored form of glycogen. Led by a team from the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in the US, the research sheds new light on the functions of glycogen in the brain. Before now, it's only been regarded as an energy backup for the liver and the muscles. "This new study challenges that view, and it does so with striking implications," says molecular biologist Pankaj Kapahi, from the Buck Institute. "Stored glycogen doesn't just sit there in the brain, it is involved in pathology." Related: Building on links previously found between glycogen and neurodegeneration, the researchers spotted evidence of excessive glycogen levels both in tauopathy models created in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) and in the brain cells of people with Alzheimer's. Further analysis revealed a key mechanism at play: tau proteins interrupt the normal breakdown and use of glycogen in the brain, adding to the dangerous build-up of both tau and glycogen, as well as lowering protective neuron defense barriers. Crucial to this interaction is the activity of glycogen phosphorylase or GlyP, the main enzyme tasked with turning glycogen into a fuel the body can use. When the researchers boosted GlyP production in fruit flies, glycogen stores were utilized once more, helping to fight back against cell damage. "By increasing GlyP activity, the brain cells could better detoxify harmful reactive oxygen species, thereby reducing damage and even extending the lifespan of tauopathy model flies," says Buck Institute biologist Sudipta Bar. The team wondered if a restricted diet – already associated with better brain health – would help. When fruit flies affected by tauopathy were put on a low-protein diet, they lived longer and showed reduced brain damage, suggesting that the metabolic shift prompted by dieting can help boost GlyP. It's a notable set of findings, not least because it suggests a way that glycogen and tau aggregation could be tackled in the brain. The researchers also developed a drug based around the 8-Br-cAMP molecule to mimic the effects of dietary restriction, which had similar effects on flies in experiments. The work might even tie into research involving GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Ozempic, designed to manage diabetes and reduce weight loss, but also now showing promise for protecting against dementia. That might be because these drugs interact with one of glycogen's pathways, the researchers suggest. "By discovering how neurons manage sugar, we may have unearthed a novel therapeutic strategy: one that targets the cell's inner chemistry to fight age-related decline," says Kapahi. "As we continue to age as a society, findings like these offer hope that better understanding – and perhaps rebalancing – our brain's hidden sugar code could unlock powerful tools for combating dementia." The research has been published in Nature Metabolism. Air Pollution 'Strongly Associated' With DNA Mutations Tied to Lung Cancer FDA Issues Warning Over Dangerous 'Gas Station Heroin' Substance Mysterious Leprosy Pathogen Has Lurked in The Americas For 4,000 Years
NDTV
04-07-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Exclusive - Biology Beyond Earth: How Space Station Is Shaping Human Life in Space
Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is visiting a home away from Earth that has seen continuous human presence for a quarter of a century and is floating around 400 kilometres above Earth. For most millennials, the idea of humans living and working in space has been a constant reality. Since November 2000, the International Space Station (ISS), a football-field-sized laboratory orbiting 400 kilometres above Earth, has hosted a continuous human presence. But beyond the awe of astronauts floating in microgravity, the ISS has quietly become one of the most important biological laboratories in human history. In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, influential NASA biologist Dr Sharmila Bhattacharya shared how two decades of biological research aboard the ISS are not only preparing us for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars but also transforming our understanding of human health on Earth. A Living Lab in Orbit "The first few years were about building the station," Dr Bhattacharya explained. "But for the last 15 to 20 years, we've been doing very active science as an international community." That science spans a wide range of biological disciplines. Researchers studied how spaceflight affects muscle loss, bone density, cardiovascular health, immune function, and even kidney-stone formation. These studies are essential because space is an extreme microgravity environment, radiation and isolation take a toll on the human body. And yet, astronauts have not only survived but thrived. "They go fit and come back fit," said Dr. Bhattacharya. "But that's because they're some of the fittest people on Earth and follow strict exercise and diet regimens." The Brain in Space One of the most fascinating areas of research has been the effect of spaceflight on the brain. Dr Bhattacharya's team used fruit flies, Drosophila, as a model organism to study neurological changes. "We found that in space, there were definite effects on the brain," she said. To test whether these effects could be mitigated, her team created artificial gravity using a centrifuge aboard the ISS. "We were able to partially reverse some of the defects we saw in the nervous system," she noted. This has major implications for future missions, especially those lasting years, such as a round trip to Mars. Preparing for Mars A journey to Mars could take six to nine months one way, with astronauts staying for several months before returning. That means humans will need to survive in deep space for up to two years, facing elevated radiation and reduced gravity. "The ISS has taught us a lot about microgravity," Dr Bhattacharya said. "But the Moon has one-sixth Earth's gravity, and Mars has one-third. We need to understand how partial gravity affects biology." A recent collaboration between NASA and the Japanese Space Agency used mice to study biological changes under different gravity levels-Earth, Moon, Mars, and microgravity. "It was a really interesting experiment," she said, adding that "because it helped identify thresholds where certain biological systems begin to change." Plants in Space: More Than Just Food Beyond human biology, the ISS has also become a greenhouse in orbit. Astronauts have successfully grown lettuce, tomatoes, and other crops. "Some of the tomatoes were very well appreciated by the crew," Dr. Bhattacharya said. Plant habitats on the ISS are not just functional; they are emotional anchors. "They're well-lit, so when crew members celebrate birthdays or holidays, they often gather near the plants. It's like the beautiful garden in space." These experiments are crucial for future missions, where astronauts will need to grow their food. They also help scientists understand how plants respond to microgravity, which could lead to agricultural innovations back on Earth. The Microbial Frontier Space is also a frontier for microbiology. Dr Bhattacharya's team studied how bacteria behave in space and found that some, like Serratia marcescens, became more virulent after spaceflight. "They killed fruit flies faster than bacteria that hadn't gone to space," she said. Interestingly, this increased pathogenicity disappeared when the bacteria were grown again on Earth. "We wanted to understand the molecular biology behind that change and what made them more dangerous in space," she explained. "These enclosed environments give us insights into microbial ecosystems, not just in space but also in places like submarines or hospitals on Earth," Dr Bhattacharya said. Astronauts as Test Subjects Over 600 astronauts have flown to space, many of them to the ISS. Their bodies have become invaluable data sources. "We've grown multiple generations of fruit flies, Caenorhabditis elegans, and even plants in space," Dr. Bhattacharya said, adding that "Now we're doing longer and longer experiments." One of the most exciting upcoming studies involves MRI scans of astronauts' brains before and after spaceflight, as part of the Axiom 4 mission. "Given what we've seen in fruit flies, I'm very interested to see what the human data shows," she said. The End of an Era, and the Start of Another The ISS is expected to be retired by 2031. But Dr Bhattacharya is optimistic. "I celebrate what the ISS has given us," she said. "But I'm also looking forward to the next platform." That next step could be a commercial space, perhaps Axiom, Haven, or VAST. China already has its space station, and India is planning one too. "The more platforms we have in space, the more science we can do as a global community," she said. Why It Matters for Earth While the focus is often on preparing for Mars, the benefits of space biology are already being felt on Earth. From understanding immune responses to developing better exercise regimens, the research done in orbit is improving healthcare on the ground. "Basic biology helps us understand not just how to live in space, but how to live better on Earth," Dr Bhattacharya said. A New Age of Exploration As humanity looks beyond Earth, the ISS stands as a testament to what international cooperation and scientific curiosity can achieve. It has been a proving ground for the biology of the future where humans may one day live on the Moon, Mars, or even beyond. And thanks to scientists like Dr. Sharmila Bhattacharya, we're not just dreaming about that future, we're building it, one fruit fly at a time.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Why a database of bug genes could be one of Trump's most devastating cuts at Harvard
For decades, scientists have gleaned information from the antennae, brains and even ovaries of millimeter-sized fruit flies for medical research as varied as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, addiction, traumatic brain injuries, birth defects and nerve regeneration. But President Donald Trump's sweeping biomedical research cuts at Harvard University threaten the world's only repository of that data. The free website FlyBase, considered the 'Wikipedia of fruit fly research' among scientists worldwide, is a project under Harvard's stewardship. It recently saw its funding terminated by the National Institutes of Health. 'There really isn't a second version of what we do,' said Victoria Jenkins, a genome database coordinator at Harvard's Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. 'We are the one resource for this information.' Read more: 'Devastating': 10 Harvard researchers detail 'essential' work set to be cut by Trump The reason why a database containing information about every fruit fly (or Drosophila) gene and genome is so important? The bug typically associated with rotting fruits and vegetables happens to share nearly 70% of its DNA structure with humans, making them ideal test subjects in many cases, researchers say. Discoveries fueled by fruit fly research have been honored by the Nobel Prize six times, dating back to 1933. The May termination of FlyBase's NIH grant puts at risk the future of the project, containing 32 years worth of data. 'There are a lot of unexpected places that very common, big discoveries come from,' fruit flies included, Jenkins said. Jenkins is one of the people who keeps FlyBase, a partnership between four universities, running. She extracts, interprets and archives data to make it accessible to the public and other researchers. Before working with FlyBase, Jenkins did hands-on research with fruit flies, looking at their genes involved in stem cell regulation. Using carbon dioxide, she would anesthetize them on a plate in order to physically handle them. Read more: Harvard researcher's work gives 'hope' for Parkinson's. But the feds cut his funding Susan Russo, the program director of FlyBase who is based at Harvard, said bone morphogenetic proteins — which help form bone and cartilage — were understood using fruit flies, 'and flies don't even have bones.' 'People say, why a fruit fly? It's a model organism that's used before clinical trials for human diseases,' Russo said. 'It's basic science and translational investigations — ultimately things that go to clinical trials. It's been critical for human disease.' FlyBase is a multi-university partnership between Harvard, Indiana University Bloomington, University of New Mexico and University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Because Harvard was the NIH grant awardee, the termination ceased funding for all of the involved entities. Now, researchers are seeking financial support elsewhere to preserve the website as is — at the very least. The European researchers are fundraising across the pond, while the U.S.-based operations work on their own mechanisms to collect emergency dollars. Read more: Trump cuts threaten 'irreplaceable' Harvard stockpile of human feces, urine Both Jenkins and Russo claimed FlyBase's association with Harvard was the central reason why it's funding was cut. Pressuring the elite university to change its policies and surrender sensitive data in the name of antisemitism, the Trump administration has inundated Harvard with a barrage of funding and grant revocations, as well as actions trying to stop its ability to enroll international students. Last week, Trump said his administration could be nearing a deal with Harvard, but few details are currently known. Harvard is also actively suing the administration in two separate federal court lawsuits. In a statement, NIH told MassLive that all federal funds to Harvard currently remain paused as part of the administration's multi-agency Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism. The agency cited Trump's executive order on 'Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism,' related to rooting out antisemitism on college campuses. 'NIH remains committed to supporting high-quality, taxpayer-funded science — free from ideological agendas and political bias,' the agency said. 'If Harvard meets the standards set by the Administration, FlyBase investigators will regain access to funding and will be able to continue their important work in advancing biomedical research.' Jenkins, whose entire salary is funded by the federal government, called fruit fly research 'incredibly cost-effective,' making the grant revocation all the more frustrating. 'Flies are inexpensive,' she said. 'They're easy to work with, easy to get started, and they don't have a lot of the ethical concerns associated with other animals. The amount of work you can do is so much easier.' A Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to fruit fly research as recently as 2017 for 'the discovery of molecular mechanisms controlling the circadian rhythm.' Using fruit flies as models, the researchers were able to isolate a gene that controls the normal daily biological rhythm. Liqun Luo, a professor of biology at Stanford University, recently told The Transmitter, a neuroscience online publication, 'it would be a disaster' if FlyBase 'goes dark.' According to its NIH grant description, FlyBase enables more than 4,000 research laboratories to further their work. While Harvard announced in May it would dole out $250 million as a stopgap for its researchers facing funding cuts, its FlyBase employees don't know yet if they'll be eligible. The immediate goal, Jenkins and Russo said, is to capture the database as is so they can ultimately migrate it over to a larger website initiative funded by the National Human Genome Research Institute. When complete, that website will consolidate genetic model organism data — including worms, zebrafish, rats and fruit flies — in one place. Harvard Kennedy's backup plan for foreign students: Study online, or in Canada Judge rules Trump can't invoke national security powers to ban foreign Harvard students Harvard's Jewish faculty have their own wish list for a deal with Trump These 16 states are supporting the Trump admin in lawsuit with Harvard Read the original article on MassLive.
Business Wire
18-06-2025
- Science
- Business Wire
Objective Biotechnology Launches First-Ever Automated Microinjection Robot for Genetic Research
MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Objective Biotechnology, a pioneer in next-generation research tools, today announced the commercial launch of the Autoinjector, the first fully automated robotic system for microinjection in genetic research. Developed in collaboration with the University of Minnesota, the system was validated in a GENETICS study showing its speed, accuracy, and broad utility across model organisms. Microinjection is an essential but slow step in genetic research, traditionally requiring technicians to manually align and inject each embryo with precision. The Autoinjector transforms this process by combining computer vision and machine learning, delivering consistent, high-precision injections up to four times faster than manual methods—while reducing training time from months to weeks. The Autoinjector also enables entirely new high-throughput experiments that aren't feasible by hand. In the study published in GENETICS, researchers used it to inject over 20,000 uniquely barcoded DNA plasmids into 1,700 Drosophila embryos in just two days—generating more than 400 unique transgenic lines and, for the first time, allowing scientists to measure how many independent germline integrations occurred per embryo. The study also demonstrated that the Autoinjector significantly improved vitrification rates and post-thaw survival of zebrafish, outperforming traditional manual injection. 'The system has already demonstrated success in gene editing and transgenesis experiments across both insect and vertebrate models at multiple early-access sites,' said James Grabau, CEO of Objective Biotechnology. 'The Autoinjector is designed to remove a stubborn and persistent bottleneck in the process of generating transgenic models in a variety of species and applications.' 'The Autoinjector comes pre-loaded with injection protocols for commonly used model organisms such as Drosophila and zebrafish, and it can be fully customized for emerging or non-model species,' said Daryl Gohl, Chief Scientific Officer of Objective Biotechnology. 'This flexibility makes the Autoinjector particularly valuable for labs working across multiple species, providing them with the ability to streamline both basic and applied genetic research.' Objective Biotechnology is a leader in developing innovative solutions for genetic engineering and neurotechnology. Its mission is to accelerate discovery by equipping scientists with cutting-edge tools that simplify, scale, and expand what's possible in modern genetics and neuroscience.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists hooking flies on cocaine to study addiction: Reports
(NewsNation) — Scientists in recent days have been having flies taste cocaine to build a model to study the disorder and work towards better therapies, a report said. The researchers used Drosophila flies — a vital model organism — because they share a lot more in common with humans, including sharing around 75% of the genes that cause disease in the human population. 'We're not at the stage of developing therapies for cocaine addiction just yet, but the flies' hatred for the highly addictive substance before their bitterness perception was knocked out has already provided some fascinating insights,' said Dr. Adrian Rothenfluh. MAHA, social media further complicating parenthood The study proved that cocaine is innately aversive to flies and that this avoidance depends on bitter sensing. Gustatory sensory neurons expressing the bitter receptor are activated upon exposure to cocaine. Cocaine use disorder is a highly heritable condition for which there are no effective treatments. There are currently no FDA-approved pharmacotherapies that can treat it. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
